Former NDP Sask Finance Minister (and Federal NDP Candidate) Andrew Thomson appeared on CBC to discuss the ads. Saying this particular ad (comparing Trump and Trudeau) is "effective" and a very smart political ad. And calls it an "upside" for Andrew Scheer

It doesn't. The script DOES NOT mention Donald Trump name at all. It is all visual.

Yeah, but presumbaly, what the script says about Trudeau is meant to jibe with the image of him hobnobbing with Trump.

Anyway, Thomson might be correct that the ad is effective, which as far as I can tell, doesn't neccessarily mean that he agrees with the ideological thrust of the ad.

Personally, I have no a priori objections to comparing one's poltiical opponents to an unpopular politician: I've heard supposedly dishonest politicians compared to Nixon, and back when Rob Ford was a going concern, some American politician attacked his opponent with an ad that included a photo of Ford, even though there was no connection between the two men.

Trump/Trudeau aeems a bit of a stretch, though I've often thought that they have a bit in common, in terms of being skilled media manipulators, and appealing to vague nostalgia for a vanished past. I'm guessing that's not what the Conservatives meant, though.

The script is a tv reporter voice talking about a scandal plagued government, while zooming out from Trump's face. The viewer is clearly intended to imagine that it is the Trump administration which is being described by the voice over. But as the camera pulls back further, and shows Justin standing there beside Trump, it becomes clear that the commentary is about Trudeau's scandals, not those of Trump.

At least, that is what I recall from a single viewing. I think it is too clever, and most people won't buy it, but I'm terrible at predicting such things.

One problem I might have with the use of that particular photo is that Trudeau met Trump because he was required to, not because he wanted to. So it's not like the photo tells us anything about him, the way, say, the photos of him dressed up in traditional Indian garb supposedly showed that he was a pretentious fop.

The script is a tv reporter voice talking about a scandal plagued government, while zooming out from Trump's face. The viewer is clearly intended to imagine that it is the Trump administration which is being described by the voice over. But as the camera pulls back further, and shows Justin standing there beside Trump, it becomes clear that the commentary is about Trudeau's scandals, not those of Trump.

At least, that is what I recall from a single viewing. I think it is too clever, and most people won't buy it, but I'm terrible at predicting such things.

Okay, that is actually kind of clever, and not really comparing Trudeau to Trump ideologically, just using the old comedy set-up of appearing to talk about one thing, and then revealing that you're actually talking about another.

A: You know, you can't walk through a typical high school these days without smelling weed in the halls and seeing fistfights in the classrooms.

B: Really? How do the teachers handle it?

A: Those ARE the teachers!

But for politics, I think people need to have a lot of animosity toward the person in question for that sort of thing to work, and I'm not convinced most Canadians feel that way about JT yet. So, rightly or wrongly, they might see the ad as an unfair cheap shot.

One problem I might have with the use of that particular photo is that Trudeau met Trump because he was required to, not because he wanted to. So it's not like the photo tells us anything about him, the way, say, the photos of him dressed up in traditional Indian garb supposedly showed that he was a pretentious fop.

Until a photo of Justin doing a very bad thing turns up (or video), this will have to do.

Theres some pay back here. Liberals/democrats have been relentless in calling Trump orange hitler and mocking Trumps physical appearance in general. I was always against this from day one and felt that these so called progressives are really just shit for brain assholes for making fun and criticize someone’s appearances.

Also, the Canadian ICM used Justin’s looks as some kind of selling point. Using Justin’s image next to his polarized drives home the hypocrisy of the ICM that supported Justin and the circus freek side show himself!

As far as having to be with Trump, Justin tried to capitalize with these photo OPP’s! No he didn’t need to be there, he chose to be there! Don’t believe me? Try finding some of these photo opps of Justin with Xi Jin Ping

As far as having to be with Trump, Justin tried to capitalize with these photo OPP’s! No he didn’t need to be there, he chose to be there! Don’t believe me? Try finding some of these photo opps of Justin with Xi Jin Ping

Yes, but Trudeau met with Trump because Trump is the POTUS, not because he is Trump in particlular. Trudeau would just as likely have met with Hillary Clinton or whoever else might have won the election.

I think the Tories are betting on this ad infuriating the Liberals, who will make a fuss and give it more publicity. After all, invoking Donald Trump (or any unpopular sitting President) is usually what the Liberals themselves do. Not sure how effective on its own the ad will be, but one never knows.

[As far as US Presidents go, I'd always compared our current PM to the second President Bush (an under-qualified guy with a famous name), but I suppose one can find a parallel with President Trump too (a certain celebrity status, promising to 'govern differently' while not doing so, etc.). That's why, after the 2015 election, I said that Canadians no longer could make fun of the US for electing President Bush, since we'd essentially just done the same thing.]

They are aiming at people who voted Liberal in 2015. Implying that Trudeau is like Trump is a joke. It will remind people how much better Trudeau is than Trump. The Conservatives are making themselves appear nasty like Trump.

I think the Tories are betting on this ad infuriating the Liberals, who will make a fuss and give it more publicity. After all, invoking Donald Trump (or any unpopular sitting President) is usually what the Liberals themselves do. Not sure how effective on its own the ad will be, but one never knows.

It also has the effect of implying that the Conservatives don't like Trump, thus making it harder for the Liberals to link them with him, as they would love to do.

That's why, after the 2015 election, I said that Canadians no longer could make fun of the US for electing President Bush, since we'd essentially just done the same thing.

A difference between the Bush II cult and the Trudeau II cult was that the former wasn't really appealing to any sort of nostalgia for the good old days of GHW Bush(who got voted out after one term even after having secured the greatest perceived military victory in decades). Whereas JT was definitely pandering to voters with memories, first-hand or otherwise, of the glory years of Canadian liberalism under Pierre.

Just having watched the ad with sound, I have to say that it does do a good job of giving specific actions of Trudeau which are similar to what Trump has done, eg. firing the attorney-general, threatening to sue people, etc, rather than just saying "They're both sleazy".

Which means that, if Liberals want to refute the ad on a substantial basis, they have to address the details of SNC-Lavalin, rather than just say "Oh come on, we all know Justin's not like Trump."

(And yeah, I realize a cabinet demotion in Canada doesn't carry the same gravity as firing a cabinet minister does in the US, but still, forcing Liberals to discuss the difference would be a victory in itself.)

The Liberals will ignore the ad. The ad reminds me of how Trump-like the Conservatives are in their tactics. Nobody is going to buy that Trudeau is like Trump. Non-political junkies don't know the details of either SNC or Trumps actions. They only know that Trump is generally a sleaze-ball and Trudeau is a much nicer guy than Trump. The Liberals positive ads on what they have achieved over 4 years will amply illustrate that Trudeau is not like Trump.

We can't extrapolate from polls when 45% of voters are undecided. The 55% who answer are either dedicated bases or political junkies. They are not representative of swing voters. Certainly not the ones who only tune in the last couple of weeks.

My guess is that current ads are intended to energize the base; bring in donations and volunteers. I hope they succeed in leaving a negative impression with moderate voters. (of the Conservatives)

Last few weeks on political panels there have been three NDP Female pundits making a direct comparison bewteen Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump - saying there is no difference between the two when it comes to (1) Feminist credentials (2) Immigration Policies (3) Tweets on Global Issues.

Last few weeks on political panels there have been three NDP Female pundits making a direct comparison bewteen Justin Trudeau and Donald Trump - saying there is no difference between the two when it comes to (1) Feminist credentials (2) Immigration Policies (3) Tweets on Global Issues.

Okay, opposition bases will buy it. It will not sway opinion against Trudeau and it could sway opinion against the NDP. Neither Conservatives nor the NDP will be able to prove that Trudeau is like Trump because Trudeau isn't like Trump. It will come across as a parlour trick that has nothing to do with policy. Politicking.

I think that, "Justin Trudeau, he's not as advertised" is actually a pretty good line because it is a fact. He is and always has been a member of the 1% club not a champion of the middle class.

And that’s pretty much it. There’s probably going to be a lot of effective adds attacking Justin for the simple fact that Justin screwed up lots.

It actually shows the bias pass lots of people give Justin. If a conservative or NDP leader made all the screw ups Justin did, there would have already been a mob/witch hunt demanding their head on a plate. But when it’s Justin, for some reason it’s every one else’s fault (like that female reporter that said Justin groped her) or at worst, there’s a “trend” developing from his actions (like the Indigenous protester and other vocal critics).

No, he is at fault for all those things, it just isn't what will sway voters which I thought was the point. He may not be batting 100 but he did make progress on the indigenous file. More than Harper would have by far. He closed two trade deals. He lifted thousands of children out of poverty with the child tax credit.

What voters want to know is what the other two main parties will offer as an alternative.